Ligature package



April 9, 1935. A, 1 wAUGH LIGATURE PACKAGE Filed June 2.2, 1933 JNVENToR /r/ur L. Wugh BY l Y, A DM ATTORNEY Mll Mmm

Patented Apr. e, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT- f OFFICE LIGATUBE PACKAGE Arthur L. Waugh, Chicago, lll.

Application June 22, 1933, Serial No. 677,025

.'20 Claims. y(el. 20s-63.3)

My invention relates to packages for sterile surgical materials, and particularly to packages for sterile surgical cord. By a sterile surgical cord is meanta cord or thread made of catgut or similar material that has been treated so as to make lthe same sterile, or any equivalent thereof that can be used as a ligature or suture and for similar purposes. 1

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a package for a surgical cord ofthe above mentioned character, which will keep the same in a safe condition and which is economical. The provision of expensive packaging for the individual lengths of cord is eliminated by my new and improved package, and the package itself is so constructed and arranged that the contents thereof and all of the portions thereof with which the hands or the instrumentalities used for removing the cords from the package may touch can be kept in an antiseptic condition so as to avoid any possibility of infection due to contact with portions of the container forming part of the package.

It is a particular purpose of my invention to provide containers or packets for the individual lengths of catgut or similar surgical cord that are so constructed that, if 4said container or packet or length of catgut or other similar surgical cord contained therein is immersed in a germicidal liquid, .the liquid will enter the container or packet so as to partially ll the same to such an extent that the liquid will be constantly in contact with the cord inthe packet and the capillary attraction of the liquid between the closure member for the packet and the body portion of the packet will seal the same against escape of the liquid therefrom so that the liquid will be maintained in the packet for long periods of time, the wall portions of the packet or containers being made of liquid-tight material, which is preferably fibrous sheet material of the character known as glassine paper, or a similar` composition.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a receptacle for the individualpackets or containers of the surgical cord, such as catgut, which receptacle is adapted to contain a germi#- cidal liquid adapted to cover the packets, the packets being of such a character that Athe same will not be buoyant in the liquid and will thus be completely immersed in theliquid if the liquid level necessary for such immersion is maintained inthe receptacle, said receptacle being made with .transparent wall portions so that the packets within the same are visible and any indicia the'reon can be read through the wall portion of the receptacle.

It -is an important purpose of my invention` to4 i provide" a receptacle of the above mentioned character, which is provided with a detachable closure member extending over the open end or mouth portion of the receptacle and has, preferably, screw-threaded engagement therewith, and to provide such a receptacle with means for distributing or conveying the germicidal -liquid over the opposing surfaces of the body portion of the receptacle and the closure member upon inversion or shaking of the receptacle so as to disinfect these surfaces prior to any use of the receptacle so that after opening the receptacle, a person using some of the material, constituting the contents of the receptacle, would not accidentally come in contact with any surface at or adjacent would be liable to cause infection. Preferably a lining is provided in the capmember, which is the mouth or rim portion of the body portion thai\ of an absorbent material, such as any felt-like material or any vfibrous cellulose material, such as a liner made of a, masticated wood. pulp, or

similar absorbent material made of wood fiber or similar material. Said liner preferably extends across the inner face of the cap member and down along the flange thereof that embraces the open end portion of the receptacle, and may be formed with threads thereon corresponding to the threads on the cap portion and on the body portion of the receptacle so as to intert therewith. Preferably the lining .is mounted in fixed position in the cap member, and in order to pre-A ventfany damage to the lining by the top ,edge portion at the rim of the jar or similar receptacle, an inner disk-like lining of harder paper-like material may overlie the rim portion of the jar andthe central portion of the cover or cap. 'This inner lining for protecting the feltflike material or absorbent material, is preferably perforated so as to provide for the easy access of the liquid from the receptacle, as is the case 'with the sealed glass tubes now used forV this purpose. These now have to be sterilized on the exterior thereof in order to provide an entire sterile condition, but the attempts at sterilization are usually not successful because sterilization by means of heat does damage to the catgut or similar cord, and the placing of the same in strong antiseptic or germi-I cidal solutions causes the tubes to float and makes it diiiicult to have them completely immersed in the solution. l i

It is a further purpose of my invention to avoid the danger of infection that may be caused due to bits of broken glass that result from the breaking of the glass tubes for the purpose of removing the surgical cord contained therein. In order to reduce the danger of this it is customary to treatl the tube-'for the purpose of sterilizing the exterion thereof and break the same a considerable period of time prior to the use of the cord, then wetting the suture and stretching the catgut or similar cord to put it in proper pliable condition for use and to remove all particles of broken glass -there-q from. This necessary treatment of the catgut or similar cord after removal from the liquid in 'which it has been kept in the glass tube increases the chances of infection, and my invention avoids the necessity of carrying out any of these subse| quent treatments of the cord, as it is kept in al' condition ideal for its proper preservation until actually ready for use, and any small fibers ofthe paperlike material from which the packets containing the cords are made that might adhere to( the cords having been constantly in contact with the germicidal liquid will do no more harm than a similarly treated cotton liber would unden similar circumstances.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a jar or receptacle in which the material is kept, which will admit no air and prevent evaporation of the germicidal iiuid and which is re-disinfected all the time by the use of the liquid when the jars are vigorously shaken or inverted for a few moments. The germicidal liquid is preferably a solution of an antiseptic material in alcohol or acetone, andvin case of any loss of the solvent due to slight evaporation and removal thereof with some of the packets of the material,y

the same can be restored by merely adding al suiiicient amount of the solvent to the liquid in; the jar or receptacle.

By the use of a fiat packet for the' coil or length of catgut or similar surgical cord, made of a paper-like sheet material, danger of infection of the patient from particles of glass is not only avoided, but cutting of gloves or towels is avoided,

. and also of lingers of the person'handling the cord, which reduces the danger of infection such as often occurs from cut fingers under gloves.' Furthermore due to the fact that these packets are of a iiat character any danger of the same rolling from the table, as frequently occurs with the glass tubes, is avoided.

Other objects and advantages of my invention wllappear as the descriptionfof the drawing proceeds. I desire to have it understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the particu*1 lar details shown or described, except as reiined by the claims.

in the drawing: Fig. l is a perspective view partly broken away,

'of my improved ligature package.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a viewthereof, showing the same inverted for disinfecting certain exposed surfaces of the jar and cover. y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, showing a portion of the receptacle and one Aof the surgicalv cord packets therein.

perspective vi'ew of the cap Y modified form of cap member.

Referring in detail to the drawing, my invention comprises a receptacle having a body portion I0, which is preferably made in the form of a transparent glass jar, and which is provided with a detachable cover member II, said cover member being made of any desired material, but being preferably made of metal or phenolic condensation product, such as the substance'commercially known 'as bakelite, or any similar material. Said cap member is provided with a substantially flat end wall I2 and a flange portion I3, which is preferably formed on the exterior thereof so as to be ribbed or Acorrugated or roughened in order to provide suitable means for gripping the same to make it easy to rotate the same.

The interior of the flange I3 is preferably provided with a screw thread I4 and the body portion I is provided with a slightly reduced cylindrical wall portion I5 adjacent the mouth or open end thereof, and is provided with a bead or shoulder at I6, and said cylindrical wall portion I5 is provided with a screw thread- I'I similar to the thread I4 on the cap member, the threads I1 and I4 being complementary so that the thread on the cap member will screw onto the thread on the body portion of the receptacle. However, these threads are made so as to intert very loosely so that an insert ofabsorbent material I 8 may be provided between the same,l which may be made the threads I'I on the other side thereof. The

felt can be similarly shaped or will shape itself in a. similar manner when the cap member is screwed onto the body portion Ill. lIn either case the felt or wood pulp fiber absorbent lining I8 is made to conform to the inner surface of the cap fII, `lining substantially the Ientire inner face thereof. The spiral corrugation or indentation I@ provides the internal and external ythread on the in# sert, which fits in the cap member and is adapted to screw onto the thread provided on the body portion of the receptacle. Preferably a disk-like insert 2@ of fibrous paper-like material, which is somewhat absorbent also, but which is much harder and will stand -much more wear than the absorbent ply I 8, is inserted in the cap member il between the absorbent material and the top edge 2l of the body portion to thus take the wear` caused by the frictional engagement edge 2l of the body portion It with the of the top befand prevent damage to the absorbent material in the cap.

The insert 25 is provided with a plurality of perforations 22 for a purpose to be described below. rlhe absorbent ply extends down substantially to the bottom edge of the flange portion i3 of the cap member, and a rubber gasket or sealing member E3 is provided adjacent the shoulder it so that the bottom peripheral edge 24 of the ange portion I3 will engage said gasket to compress the same between the bead I6 and the .edge of said flange portion so as to provide a liquid-tight seal between the cap and the body portion. In order to prevent turning of the absorbent lining l8 relativeI to the closure cap Il, the projections may be provided on the inner face of the cap which will embed themselves in the material of said lining to interlock the cap Il and lining-I8.

The body portion l0 is adapted to contain a germicidal liquid 25, 'which preferably comprises any suit-able antiseptic material in solution in a solvent, such as alcohol or acetone or a combination of the two. When the package is prepared thelevel of the liquid is near the top of the body portion I0,- but obviously the level will recede as the jar or receptacle is opened in the use of the same, due to evaporation and also due to small portions of the liquid being removed with the packets ofsurgical cord, which will bede,

scribed more in detail below. f

The germicidal liquid, even though the container may not be as full of the'liquid as shown inverted, as shown in Fig. 3. While the liquid can bebrought in contact with this absorbent material by such inversion, it will also be obvious that it can be brought into contact therewith byshaking the receptacle vigorously, whereupon the liquid will lengage with the absorbent material y through thel openings or perforations 2-2 in the member '20 and will pass along in the same in a similar manner to that in which liquid passes throughout the extent of a wick, due to capillary action of the liquid. and will thus cause the ab sorbent material to be thoroughly soaked with the disinfectant liquid throughout the extent thereof thus bringing the disinfectant liquid into intimate contact with the inner face of the cap member and with the outer face of the threaded end portion of the body portion I0 of said receptacle. The liquid will also ooze out over the top rim or edge 2l of the body portion l0 due to the action of the absorbent material, and also to some extent to the action of the insert 20, which is also sufficiently absorbent to spread. the liquid over this rim portion 2l.

It will be seen from the above that the receptacle is thus so made that it can be very readily disinfected on the inner face of the cover, the

rim or. top edge of the body portion, and Ethe thread and neck portion on which the thread is provided. This serves to prevent infection of instruments, gloves, envelopes or packets of the surgical material, oranything which may touch or swipe against the rim or upper portion of the jar or receptacle adjacent the rim'and makes it unnecessary to wipe off the jar and cover with alcohol before opening the jar or receptacle.

Within the receptacle and serving Ato complete the package is a multiplicity of small packets 26, which contain the surgical material, which is shown in the invention as being a sterile surgical brous sheet paper-,like material, known asglassine paper, or any similar flexible sheetlike transparent material -that is not attacked by the solution in which the packets are kept.

The flap 28 is adapted to be tucked inside the envelope in the'slit 28, and a coil 30 of the sterilized surgical cord, such as catgut, is contained therein. Preferably some form of indicia 3| is provided on these containers or envelopes that is visible through the transparent wall of the receptacle l0 so as to identify the name, size,

surgical cord contained therein. The catgut or other surgical sterilized thread or ligature is cleaned, treated and sterilized in any well known manner that is found to be safe and satisfactory, before or after insertion in the envelope. It is thus in sterilecondition in the envelope. The flap ofthe envelope is tucked into the interior of the envelope through the slit 29. after insertion of the cord and these packets are arranged or stacked in the body portion I0 of the container tofill the same to a. point spaced a short distance from the top thereof, the same being not tightly packed in the receptacle, but rather loosely so as to provide for the passage of liquid between the same and into the same. The antiseptic liquid 25 is then filled into the receptacle to the desired level above the top of the packets therein, and this 'germicid'al liquid will enter between the flap 28 andthe body portion 21 via the slit 29 until the interior of the envelope or packet is filled to about 75% of its capacity. When the same has been lled to this extent the liquid will not further enter the same because the capillary4 attraction of the liquid at the point where the iiap y28 lies opposite the body portion 21 will cause the flap 23 to adhere to said adjoining body portion and seal the same against further ingress or egress of liquid.

It will thus be seen that the packets or containers in the form of envelopes in the receptacle l0 not only have the outer walls thereof contacted by the liquid 25, but also the inner walls thereof, as well as the ligature or surgial cord in the packet. `It' will also be observed that due to this characteristic of the nature of the material, there will be no tendency of these packets l In Fig. 'T a slight modication of the invention is shown, in which the ange portion i3 is cut away. on the inner face thereof adjacent the body portion of the receptacle to provide a reduced rim portion 32 thereon and providing an annular shoulder at 33, thus providing an annular seat for a compressible gasket, such as a. rubber gasket 34, which extends slightly beyond the bottom portion of the rim 32 so as to be adapted to `contact with the bead or shoulder at I6 to seal the cap member to the body portion by compression of said sealing member 34.

It will be noted that the packet 26 will be sterilized on the interior and exterior thereof by the liquid, and that evenif the packet is removed from the receptaclethe-contents thereof will remain in a sterile condition for a long 4 period of time because the liquid will not escape therefrom and the surgical cord or similar member 30 will be immersed in such germicidal liquid during the entire period, as the liquid will not escape therefrom due to the provision of the flap 28, which acts as an automatic seal for the package. Also the cord-like member 30 is kept in a much better condition for use by being kept in a liquid that acts not only as a germicide, but as apreservative keeping the same in a pliable condition, whereby the same will retain its o riginal strength as long as it is immersed in such liquid.

What I claim is:

1. A package for sterile surgical material comprising a receptacle, a closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said receptacle, a packet open to flow of said liquid into the same immersed in said liquid and a quantity of said surgical material in said vpacket in contact with said liquid.

2. A package for sterile surgical cord comprising a receptacle, a closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said receptacle, an envelope open to'ow of said liquid into vthe same immersed in said liquid and a length of said surgical cord in said envelope in contact with said liquid.

3. A package for sterile surgical cord comprising a receptacle, a closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said receptacle, an envelope open to flow of said liquid into the same immersed in said liquid and a coil of said surgical cord in said envelope in contact with said liquid.

4. A package of the character described, comprising a liquid receptacle having a transparent wall portion, a closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said receptacle, individual non-buoyant containers each open to flow of liquid into the same in said receptacle, a length of sterile surgical cord in each of said containers and indicia on each of said containers visible through said transparent wall portion.

5. A package of sterile surgical material comprising a receptacle, a removable and replaceable closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said receptacle, packets of said surgical material immersed in said liquid and means on the inner face of said closure extending into contact with the engaging portions of said receptacle and closure for feeding said liquid into contact with the engaging portions of said receptacle and closure upon inversion or shaking of said receptacle..

6. A package of sterile surgical material comprising a receptacle, a removable closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said receptacle, packets of said surgical material immersed in said liquid and open to flow of said liquid into the same and an absorbent lining in said closure for feeding said liquid into contact with the engaging portions of said receptacle and closure upon inversion or shaking of said receptacle, said lining being carried by said closure.

'7. A package of sterile surgical material comprising a receptacle, a removable sealing closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said receptacle, packet-s of `said surgical material immersed in said liquid, means on said closure for feeding said liquid into contact-with the engaging portions of said receptacle and closure upon. inversion or shaking of said receptacle, and means adjacent said liquid feeding means providing a liquid-tight seal between said closure and said receptacle.

' 8. A package of sterile surgical material comprising a receptacle, a removable closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said receptacle, packets of said surgical material immersed in said liquid and open to flow of said liquid into the same and means carried by said closure and removable as a unit therewith for distributing said liquid over the surface of said receptacle at the end thereof receiving said closure upon inversion or shaking of said receptacle.

9. A container for sterile surgical material comprising a body portion, an imperforate closure cap therefor, a germicidal liquid in said body portion and means carried by said closure and mounted between said cap and said body portion for spreading said liquid into engagement with the adjacent surfaces of said cap and body portion, said means extending along the inner side of said closure inwardly beyond the engaging portions of said body portion and closure.

10. A container for sterile surgical material comprising a body portion, an imperforate cap detachably engaging said body portion and a lining of absorbent material carried by said cap extending between said cap and body portion and inwardly of the rim of said body portion to be exposed to the interior of said receptacle when said cap is in receptacle closing position.

11. A container for sterile surgical material comprising a body portion having threads thereon, a screw cap detachably engaging said body portion, a lining of absorbent material mounted in said cap and extending into engagement with the threads on said cap and body portion, and a perforated ply of fibrous sheet material interposed between the mouth of said body portion and said absorbent material.

12. In a device of the character described, a packet of sterile surgical cord comprising an' envelope of liquid-proof fibrous sheet material having a flap thereon tucked into said envelope,l a coil of said cord in said envelope and germicidal .liquid in said envelope, said envelope being sealed against discharge of said liquid by the capillary attraction of said liquid at the contacting faces of said flap and the body of said envelope.

13. A container for sterile surgical material comprising a body portion, a cap detachably eni gaging said body portion, a-lining of absorbent material extending between said cap and body` portion and exposed to the interior of said receptacle when said cap is in `receptacle closing position, and means to prevent the turning of said lining in' said cap.

14. A container for sterile surgical material comprising a body portion, screw threads thereon, a cap having screw threads thereon, a lining of absorbent material having screw threaded engagement with said cap and'adapted to engage the threads on said body portion extending,

between said cap and body portion, and exposed to the interior of said receptacle when said cap is in receptacle closing position, and means for preventing said lining from turning in said cap.

l5. A package of the character described, comprising a liquid receptacle having a transparent wall'portiop, a closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said receptacle, lengths of sterile surgical cord and individual-non-buoyant containers of sheet material for said lengths of cord open to ilow of said liquid into said container into contact with the length of cord therein.

16. A container for surgical material, comprising a body portion and a one-piece closure cap for said body portion having a lining of absorbent material mounted in said cap and extending between said cap and body portion and along the under face of said cap to be exposed to the interior of said receptacle when said cap is in position thereon. A

17. A container for surgical material comprising a body portion, a closure cap for saidbody portion having a lining of absorbent material mounted on the inner face of said cap and extending between.said cap and body portion Vand exposed to the interior of said receptacle when said cap is inrposition thereon, and a gasket sealing the joint between said body portion and said cap outwardly of said 18. A package of the character. described comprising a receptacle, a closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said receptacle, lengths of surgical cord in said receptacle, and exible means for separating said lengths of cord .but permitting said liquid to contactsaid lengths of cord.

19. A package of the character described comprising a receptacle, a closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said receptacle, lengths of surgical A cord in said receptacle, and members of fibrous sheet material for conning and separating said lengths of cord, but permitting said liquid to contact said lengths of cord.

20. A package of the character-described comprising a receptacle, a closure therefor, a germicidal liquid in said reCeptacleJengths of surgical cord in said receptacle, and means for confining each length oi. cord to completely separate it from all the other lengths of cord in said immun L. wAoGH. 

